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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bark · can · pass · leaves · cap · bear · degree · firm

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. can — a tin
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. firm — decided
  5. pass — a permit
  6. firm — a company
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. cap — of ice
  11. firm — steady
  12. bear — the animal
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bark — to shout
  19. cap — a lid
  20. degree — an amount
  21. degree — temperature
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. bark — a dog's sound

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com